Charles Sturt University (CSU) will unveil the architectural design concepts for the proposed Albury Dental Education Clinic on Monday 12 March as part of its bid for $54.4 million in Commonwealth funding to establish a School of Dentistry and Oral Health in inland NSW.

 

CSU’s bid includes funding to construct three stand-alone dental education clinics on its regional campuses, including Albury-Wodonga, to provide dental students with practical clinical training.

 

University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Goulter says the Dental Education Clinics will provide dental students with access to an appropriate mix of patients from Albury and surrounding communities who are currently unable to access existing public and private dental services.

 

“Unlike medicine, dental and oral health graduates are expected to be ready for practice on graduation,” Professor Goulter said. “There is no ‘internship’ expected after graduation and before registration as a dentist or oral hygienist/therapist.  Supervised clinical experience, with students providing care for patients prior to graduation, is necessary to reach this level of competence. This requires the creation of clinical education settings where students gain experience by treating patients under close supervision by qualified dentists.

 

“The Dental Education Clinics have been designed to complement and supplement existing public and private dental services and will be developed in close consultation with existing dental practitioners,” he said.

 

“Our plan for dental education in inland NSW will rely heavily on the participation of existing dental practitioners in our regional communities in the clinical education program. The University will be offering opportunities for dental practitioners to work as adjunct academic appointments in the program.

 

“We are asking the Commonwealth Government to make an investment in the educational needs and aspirations of the people of Albury and its surrounding communities, as well as help to solve the rural dental crisis.  This state of the art Dental Education Clinic cannot go ahead without Commonwealth Government support.”